Automatic stop for phonographs



G. W. LORIMER.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.9| 1911.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921..

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AUTOMATIC STOP FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, 1917- Patented Nov. 15, 1921,

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IlllllH jwewi" character have been devised and are UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

GEORGE W. LORIMER, OF TROY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THETHOMAS IMANUFAGTURING COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

Specification Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

Application filed November 9, 1917. Serial No. 201,044.

T0 at! whom it may concern:

lie it known that l, GEORGE W. LomMnR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Troy, in the county of Miami and State of ilhio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Stops forPhonographs of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic stops for.phonographs. More particularly stated the invention relates to a stop ofthis general type which may be set to automatically stop themotor of aphonograph in such manner as to bring the turn table thereof to a.position of rest at any desired point. Thus the machine may be stoppedimmediately upon the completion of a record which has been playedthereon or at any desired point intermediate the beginning and end ofsuch record.

The object of such automatic stops of this character is obvious. Theyavoid the necessity ofstopping the machine by hand each time a recordhas been played and accordingly obviate the necessity of som'e one beingnear the phonograph whenever the reproduction of a record is nearingcompletion in order that they may properly stop the same by hand andthus prevent undue wear on the parts.

While number of stops of this general an use to some extent at thepresent time, they have been found to be more or less inaccurate anddifficult to manipulate. Furthermore, a number of these prior devicesare objectionable in that they operate directly on the turn table of thephonograph, thus proiilucingundue strain on the governor mechanism whichin time is thus rendered less effective.

Tine object of the present invention is to provide-an automatic stop ofthe type described which will perform its functions in an eiiectivemanner and in a manner that will cause less jar and strainon theoperating mechanism than is usual when the stopa ping is effectedmanually or by means of 1V stop which operates directly on the turn"able.

Another object ofthe invention is to providereadily accessible andeasily manipulated means for setting the stop.

. 2 further object is the provision of means whereby the point atwhichthe machine is stopped will correspond exactly with the point atwhich the stop device has been set.

,(ither objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription-taken n connection with the accompanying drawings whereintwo forms of the invention are illustrated.

,i igure 1 is a top plan view of a phonograph showing the inventionapplied thereto.

big. 2 is a rear elevation of the stop mechanism. i

Fig. 3 is an end elevation. Fig. 4 is a top plan view mg plate.

Fig. 5 is a detail view ton socket.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of ton, and

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary views illustrating the invention asapplied to electri- (rally operated phonographs.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the reference character 1designates the plate on which the stop mechanism is mounted, said platebeing designed to fasten to the motor supporting panel 2 at the rearthereof and in such manner that said plate will be positionedintermediate the turn table 3 of the phonograph and the of the supportofthe starting butthe starting butbase of the tone arm a. The motorsupporting panel 2 is preferably cut away so that the stop mechanismsuspended from the plate 1 will hang beneath said panel 2 sub stantiallyas shown. A slidable angle plate is illustrated at 5-to which isattached a metal strap 6, preferably in the form of a leafspring. Thefree end of this strap is adjustably engaged by the screw threaded stemof the setting knob '7. The setting knob after it has been screwed intothe strap 6 is locked in its proper adjusted position by means of a jamnut 8. The strap 6, as will be noted, has a natural bend downward andiskept under tension by means of the knob 7 and the jam nut 8. Theaction of the device depends in a measure on the friction establishedbetween the strap 6 and the plate 1, as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed.

The slidable. angle plate 5 is supported by and attached to the plate 1by means of the screw-threaded engagement of the knob 7 with the freeend of the strap '6 and by plate 5 by set lever 13 in a position someans of the machine screw 9 which is carried. by the plate 5 at the endthereof oppo-- site the end which carries the strap 6. The plate 1 isprovided with a plurality of slots 10 and 11. The stem of the settingknob 7 and the machine screw 9 are adapted to slide in these slots andbeing attached to the plate 5, it is evident that when the setting knob7 is moved back and forth in the slot 10, the plate 5 will also be movedback and forth in the same manner. Pivoted to the means of a pivot screw12 is shownthe set lever 18. This lever protrudes through an elongatedslot 1 1 in the plate 5, said set lever being limited in its oscillatorymovements about its pivot 12 by means of the set screws 15 and 16 whichare adapted to engage the projection 17 of said set lever. Also attachedto the plate 5 by means of a pivot screw 18 is a trip lever 19, which isadapted to move upwardly in a substantially vertical plane by the actionof the spring 20 when the edge 21 at the lower end of said set lever 13slips off of the shoulder 22 by virtue of said set lever being rocked tothe right about its pivot 12. As will be noted, the spring 20 also tendsto keep the that when the trip lever 19 is depressed, the edge 21 willengage with the shoulder and keep it in this setposition until the topof the lever 13 is again rocked to the right as viewed in Fig. 2.

The starting button is illustrated at 23 is adapted to reciprocatewithin the sleeve 24 secured to and depending from the under surface ofthe plate. The starting button 23 is preferably provided with a retimes,

by the trip lever duced portion 26 intermediate its ends,

whereby suitable stops or shoulders 27 and 28 are provided. A set screw,such as shown at 25, is mounted in the wall of the sleeve 2st, and isadapted to project into the reduced portion 26 of the button 23, tolimit said button in its movements in either direction by coming intoengagement with said stops or shoulders 27 and 28 when said button ismoved up and down. In this manner the button is maintained within itssleeve at all and in operative relation to the stop mechanism. Vihen thestarting button 23 is depressed to its limit, the trip lever 19 willalso be depressed so that the shoulder 22 truding end of the set lever13 is rocked to the right, asviewed in Fig. 2, the trip lever 19 will beraised by means of the spring 20. T he starting button 23 will also beraised 19 during this movement of the mechanism, but, it will be noted,said button is prevented from being ejected from the sleeve 2% by meansof the set screw 25 striking against the shoulder 28, as above pointedout.

At 29 in Fig. 3 is illustrated the friction disk of the governor 30. Inthis figure a portion of the motor supporting frame which is suspendedbeneath and attached to the panel plate 2 is also illustrated. At 31 isillustrated a stop lever which is shown pivoted to the motor frame inany suitable manner shown in the drawings in the form of a pivot screw82. This stop lever 31, as will be noted, is adapted to move only up anddown in a substantially vertical plane. In other words, it is anchoredas regards longitudinal movement. One end of the lever 31 is providedwith a suitable pad which may be formed of leather, fabric or any othersuitable material. As will be noted, this pad 33 is adapted to engageand bear against the rim of the governor friction disk 29 when the freearm of the lever 81 is depressed or moved downwardly. Attached to theshort end of the lever 31 is a suitable hook 34 which is adapted toembrace the trip lever 19 substantially as shown. Thus when the triplever 19 is depressed by means of the starting button 23, the pad byvirtue of the cooperation between said trip lever 19 and the hook 3 1will be raised from the rim of the friction disk 29. On the other hand,when the trip lever 19 is raised through the action of the spring 20when a disengagement of the edge 21 and shoulder 22 is effected, the pad33 will be brought to bear against the rim of the governor friction disk29, thus bringing the motor and its associated mechanism to a positionof rest. It will be noted from the foregoing that the plate 5 whichcarries the trip lever 19 may be moved at will by means of the knob 7and that an operative engagement and cooperation between the said triplever 19 and the stop lever 31 is maintained in whatever position theplate 5 may be set. This coiiperation between the trip lever 19 and thestop lever 31, it will be noted, is maintained regardless of the setposition of the plate 5 by virtue of the hook which hook permits saidtrip lever 19 to slide longitudinally. A suitable actuating arm isillustrated at 35, said arm being attached to the under side of the tonearm 4 and being adapted to engage the protruding end of the lever 18 ata certain predetermined point whereby the phonograph is automaticallystopped, V

Before describing the action of the apparatus in its entirety, thevarious adjust-- the springstrap 6 and-the plate 1 must be greater thanthe power required to cause a disengagement of the edge 21 and theshoulder and at the same time the friction thus produced between thestrap 6 and the plate 1 must be so adjusted as to permit of a free andsmooth movement of the mechanism in setting the same. This adjustment isprovided by screwing the stem of the setting knob 7 to a greater orlesser degree into the strap 6 which, as above stated. has a naturalbend downward and is in effect a spring. The jam nut 8, as abovedescribed, serves to lock the strap 6 and the knob 7 in theirpredetermined adjusted positions. It is obvious from the foregoing thatscrewing the stem of the setting knob 7 into the strap 6 to a greaterdegree than illustrated in the drawings will increase the frictionbetween said strap and the plate 1 and that accordingly an adjustment ofthe screw within the strap to a lesser degree than illustrated willcause less friction to be'exerted as the mechanism is moved back andforth to various stopping positions.

As the set lever 13 is the medium by which the position for stopping themotor is de termined, it is obviously essential thatthe position inwhich said lever 13 is set shall coincide exactly with the stoppingposition. It follows, therefore, that when the actuating arm is pressedagainst the set lever 13 to fix the setting position that said lever 13should trip the lever 19 at the same position as when set. This isaccomplished by means of the screw 15 which is adjustably mounted withina suitable slot 36 in the plate 5. In this manner, it willbe noted thatthe screw 15 may be set in any desired position with relation to theprojection 17 of the lever 13 and thus control the point at which themechanism istripped. In setting the mechanism, the trip lever 19 isalways in its raised position, as shown in dotted lines in 2 and whenthe set lever 13 is brought against the actuating rod 35, the projectingend of said lever 13 should rest firmly against the adjusting screw 15.hen properly adjusted, the screw 15 is set 'in such a position that whenthe projecting arm 17 of the lever 13 is resting against it, the edge 21will just pass over the shoulder 22. In this adjustment the settingposition will coincide exactly with the tripping position. I

The operation ofthe apparatus in its complete function of setting,starting and stopping will now be described.

lVhen it is desired to set the mechanism, the setting knob 7 is pushedto the left 1) to its full extent carrying with it the set lever 13. Theneedle or stylus is then set in the groove of the record at which it isdesired to stop the revolution of the turn table. The setting knob 7 isthen moved to the right (Fig. 1) until the actuating arm 35 attached tothe tone'arm is firmlypressed against the set lever 13. This actionbrings the projection 17 of said lever 13 tempoelectrically drivenphonographs are illusrarily against the adjustable screw 15. The

reproducer and its needle is then lifted from the record and thestarting button 23 is de pressed. Upon the depression of the button 23,the trip lever 19 is also depressed, which depression of said trip lever19, by virtue of its cooperation with the stop lever 31 through themedium ofv the hook 31, causes the pad 33, which presses against the rimof the friction disk when the mechanism is in its tripped position, tobe raised and the motor, therefore, is allowed to start. Inde pressingthe starting button 23 it will he noted that the trip lever 19 isbrought to its lowermost position and through the influence of he spring20, the edge 21 of the set lever 13 is engaged by and held against theshoulder 22. The trip lever 19 is held in this position until the tonearm which carries the actuating arm 35 in its progression toward thecenter of the record comes into contact with the protruding end of theset lever 13 and after coming into contact, therewith, gradually rockssaid, set lever 13 about its pivot 12 until the disengagement of theedge 21 and the shoulder 22 is effected, at which time the action of thespring 20 raises the trip lever 19and in turn operates the lever 31 andcauses the pad 33 to be pressed firmly against-the rim of the governordisk 29, thus stopping the motor. It will be noted that when the edge 21disengages the shoulder 22 that the lever 13 is in exactlythe sameposition as when the setting was accomplished.

It is the usual practiceto haveautomatic stops'operate on the rim of theturn table of the phonograph but with disastrous results to the motor.The governor usually runs at'the rate of 15001800 R; P. M. and thesudden stopping of the turn table shaft tends to break the governorsprings or render them otherwise inoperative. Byapplying the stop to thegovernor friction disk, as set forth herein, the motor is brought to astop gently thereby obviating the possibility of damaging the same.

It will be readily observed that the invention herein described is notlimited to the ordinary spring motor of the type commonly used inphonographs, but that on the other hand, it may'readily. be applied toelectrically driven phonographs. In Figs. .7 and 8 two ways ofapplyingthe invention to trated. In Fig. 7 the free end of the stoplever 31, instead of being provided with a brake shoe, is shown looselyconnected to the outer end of a movable element of a knife switch 37,whereby theoscillation of said lever 31 will makeor break the'rnoto rcir cuit, thus startingor stopping the rotation of the turn table at thepoint at which the stop mechanism has been set; while in Fig. 8 theouter end of the stop lever 31 provides plate,

trip lever, a stop spirit of the invention.

It is not desired to limit the invention illustrated and describedherein, except where limitations appear in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let- 'ters Patentof the United States is:

1. A stop for phonographs comprising a brake lever, actuating meanstherefor, a movable element on whlch said actuating 'means is mounted,.a stationary supporting plate for said movable element, and adjustablemeansfor maintaining said movable element in frictional engagement withsaid supporting plate.

2. An automatic stop for phonographs comprising a stationary plate. amovable a vertical set' lever pivoted to said movable plate andprojecting through and above said stationary plate, a plurality ofstops, a projection carried by said set lever and extending between saidstops whereby said lever is limited in its movements in both directions,a substantially horizontal trip lever pivoted to said movable platebelow said set lever, ashoulder on said trip lever adapted to engage theend of said set lever, a stop lever loosely engaging said trip lever, aspring attached to said trip lever at one end and to said set lever atits other end, and means whereby when said projection engages one. ofsaid stops by virtue of the movement of said set lever in one direction,said shoulder disengages the lower end of said set lever therebypermitting said spring to raise said trip lever and cause said stoplever to be actuated.

3. In an automatic stop for phonographs, the combination of a pivotedbrake lever, a trip lever connected thereto and adapted to operate thesame, a latch for engaging said for limiting the extent ofsuchenga'gement, and resilient means adapted to maintain said latch'inoperative position when set' and ,to actuate said trip lever to applysaid brake upon disengagement of said trip lever with said latch.

4;. In an automatic stop for phonographs,

the combination of a stop lever having a loop atone end thereof, alongitudinally various stop positions, and adjustable means formaintaining sufficient pressure between said plates to preventaccidental displacement of said movable plate.

6. A. stop for phonographs comprising a brake lever, actuating meanstherefor, a movable element on which said actuating means is mounted, astationary supporting plate for said movable element, and resilientmeans carried by said movable element and frictionally engaging'saidplate for main- 1 taining said element against accidental displacement.

7 A stop forphonographs comprising a brake lever, actuating meanstherefor, a movable element on which said actuating means is mounted, astationary supporting plate for said movable element, resilient meanscarried by said movable element and frictionally engaging said plate formaintaining said element against accidental displacement, and meansform-adjusting the tension of said. resilient means.

8. An automatic stop for phonographs comprising a stationary support, amovable element, a set lever pivoted. to said movable element andprojecting through said support to be engaged by the tone arm of saidphonograph, means for limiting the movements of said set lever,a triplever pivotally mounted on said movable element and adapted to engagesaid set lever, the extent of such engagement beingcontrolled by saidlimiting means, a stop lever loosely engaging said trip lever, resilientmeans attached to said trip lever at one end and to said set lever atits other end, and means whereby upon movement of said set lever in onedirection by said tone arm said trip lever is disengaged, therebypermitting said resilient means to operate the latter and saidstoplever. i

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my7name this 29th dayof-October, A. 1)., 191

GEORGE LORIMER.

WVitnesses:

Lno H. WAMMns, FRANK GEHLE.

